Chapter 28; Meeting the Fey Queen Mab.
~Nova's POV~
"What an adorable little thing…, it's such a sweet little baby, it is." Queen Mab sat in the grass, crossed legged, her bare knees poking through the silk of her dress as she cradled the Heart-Soul's cage admiringly.
He had to admit to being surprised when he felt her presence enter Ban Fior Glade. Given her immense magic, she could hardly disguise her arrival, and so he had time to send Wanda along with Bliss to go fetch the children. He had assured his daughter-in-law that Queen Mab was no threat, and he hoped Bliss was giving her a proper pep talk right now and putting her fears to rest.
"It is lovely of you to come to pay a visit; you bestow my god-grandson with much honor." He chuckled at the term he had just made up, but the boy did agree to call him grandpa so it was accurate, was it not?
"It is for my satisfaction, mostly. I just had to see this precious baby in person." Mab laughed, poking a finger through the bars of the cage, trying to lure the shy heart-soul closer to her.
Using her superior magical skill, she had made just the circumference of a mid-sized circle around her into nighttime so that she could remove the cage from the carrier, allowing her to freely admire the little soul inside from all angles.
"I have always wondered what a newborn soul's color would be; to think it would be this colorless color…" Queen Mab mused, pursing her lips amused as the soul peered at her bashfully, hiding and peeking out from behind its little wooden furniture. "It's such a gentle, warm, radiant light—like the rays of a dawn sun in the summer."
"It is indeed a very special little one." He agreed, watching as the shy soul kept getting a little braver as it took hesitant inches towards her beckoning finger. The rest of the Fey watched with quiet respect; all of them knew full well not to interrupt or distract Queen Mab when she was in the middle of indulging her interests.
"And it's attached to a rather amusing boy, too." Queen Mab chuckled a little; she enjoyed having him regale her with his wife's stories; in fact, whenever a new story came, she ordered him to come to her castle and have her be the first one to hear it.
"He will be out to meet you shortly." He looked towards the waterfall, waiting to see the group come out from the cave. "I humbly request that you refrain from taking offense at the potential conduct of my daughter-in-law. She exhibits a strong sense of protectiveness and territoriality towards her godson, which stems from her limited comprehension of our Fey culture. It is regrettable that her perception of Fey in general is distorted due to the unbalanced historical narrative commonly taught in the fairy world."
"I understand; all fairies are like that at first, but once they become Fey, they grow enlightened to our ways and assimilate. To become angry at a fairy over some slights is akin to getting angry at a baby for taking a tantrum—they simply don't know any better." Queen Mab flashed him a smile. "Once she becomes a Fey, I'm sure she'll fit right in with the rest of us; as will her husband and child. "
"Your Majesty, I express my gratitude for your comprehension of our circumstances. I am aware of its borderline nature and express my gratitude for your understanding. I assure you I will not tolerate any further instances of such negligence from my son when he arrives." He could not help but get teared up that Mab would be willing to allow Cosmo to stay within her Circle despite what he had allowed to happen. Normally Mab would never permit an individual responsible for such a thing to live within her territory, and he knew she was making the exception just for him.
Queen Mab cast him a serene smile, and then looked over his shoulder, her lips parting into a wider grin as she spotted the group emerge from the cave. The excited squeals of the Kinders quickly reached his ears; they could never contain their elation upon being in the Queen's presence, but this was exactly how she liked it.
His eyes looked past the Kinders who were running towards them like a flock of overexcited puppies, to gaze at Wanda and Timmy who were trailing behind them; Bliss and Ariafern at their backs, probably whispering instructions.
"Aw, they look so tense." Mab chuckled, endeared. "I suppose suddenly meeting Fey royalty is a little spooky."
He looked at Wanda who was clenching Timmy's hand, whispering into his ear, the boy giving little nods. He could guess at what she was saying, and wondered if he would have been so paranoid if he were in her shoes. It was true that becoming a Fey changed aspects of their nature and their very sense of self, and that the way he viewed things now and the way he had as a Fairy were vastly different. Even after becoming a Fey, there was an adjustment period—some adjusted within weeks, others took years…but they all adjusted eventually and became Fey as much in mind and nature as they did in body.
…How long would Wanda take? How long…. would Cosmo? Poof would be easy. He was a baby. That made integration a simple thing. For Wanda, her anti-self was apparently an easy going, irresponsible idiot. That was perfect as when she merged it would end up softening her paranoia and her uptightness and would allow her to adapt and transition to her Fey nature with simplicity.
The big problem was with Cosmo. Anti-Cosmo was the leader of the anti-fairies, and Cosmo himself, being a dimwit, could easily become overwritten by his anti-self, just as Siofra and Finch had. Unlike Anti-Wanda, whose personality would soften Wanda's sharper edges, Anti-Cosmo's personality would be at odds with Cosmo's nature far too much. Such a change would not go smoothly or discreetly. It would probably be very hard for Cosmo. He hoped he'd be able to help his son, and to guide his changes so that he'd be able to live as an accepted member of Bailena Leanbhanna Draiochta.
He did not want Queen Mab to regret her kindness at extending her warm welcome to Cosmo and his family; and he himself wanted his son, daughter-in-law, his grandson and god grandson to be happy. More than anything…he wanted his family to be together, and he'd do whatever it took to have that happen.
~Timmy POV~
"Don't worry sweetie, I'm going to be right here." Wanda gave his hand a squeeze as they grew closer to the Fey Queen. He kept his eyes glued to the ground, almost afraid to look up and draw her attention; sure from experience that he was bound to anger or offend just about any authority figure. He swallowed hard and gave Wanda's hand a squeeze back. He knew that if he angered the Queen that there would be nothing his godmother could do to protect him; in fact, if he messed up, she could very well be the one who'd end up paying the price. Even so, Wanda seemed more worried for him then she was for herself, even though she had been told that Gunter Von Strangle had once evaporated a fairy on the spot for a child's disrespectful comment towards the Queen he'd soon be face to face with.
"Queen Mab! Queen Mab!" The Kinders' voices rang together in a joyful chorus and he heard them rushing ahead, galloping almost. He heard a melodic voice chuckle with maternal patience.
"You dear children, don't be so rowdy. Can't you see I'm holding a baby?" The voice was remarkably gentle, though he felt Wanda's hand clench his tight enough to hurt a little—and he peeked at her face to see her staring straight ahead tensely, obviously unaware of her tightened grip. He followed her gaze to see the cage holding his Heart-Soul was being cradled in a pair of slender ivory arms. He raised his gaze upward to see the owner of those arms and was instantly struck by her beauty. Next to her, even Trixie Tang looked plain. Honestly, not even the most dazzling Hollywood beauty could hope to compare.
It wasn't just her looks either, but the aura that surrounded her—even someone who did not believe in magic would be able to tell that she was someone ethereal.
She used a gentle hand to pat the heads of the nearby Kinder, who were clamouring for her attention; and then locked eyes with him, lips the color of a soft pink flower curled up into a warm and inviting smile as she gestured with a slender hand for him to come forward.
Entranced, he took a step towards her, and each Fey instantly with a snap of their fingers called their Kinders to their side in order to allow her to meet with him one on one. Or, maybe two on one, as Wanda did not seem to want to let go of his hand even as he felt compelled to keep stepping towards the Queen, who smiled so invitingly.
He felt his hand slip out of Wanda's, the surprise of which allowed him to break free of the mesmerizing sight of Queen Mab in order to look to see where his Godmother had gone. Nova had her by her other hand, and she had a frown, looking as if she resented having been pulled back. Nova smiled at him and gestured with his head towards the Queen and whispered something to Wanda who reluctantly whispered for him to go. He was nervous, but the moment he looked back at the Queen, a haze settled over his thoughts as once again, the mere sight of her left him in a captivated state; it wasn't even her beauty that kept drawing him towards her…he did not know what it was. Perhaps it was the same compulsion that drew moths to fire…
"And here is our future angel…" She welcomed him with those words, and drew him towards her the moment he entered her reach. He had been so dazzled by her beauty that he had even failed to realize that the diameter of a circle around her had turned to night time. While the rest of the glade was awash in sunlight, the area around her alone was bathed in moonlight, the silverly light made it look like her pale skin was softly glowing.
She pulled him into her lap in one swift and gentle movement. Physically, she appeared so delicate that he feared he would be too heavy for her, but she displayed no discomfort, as if the weight of a mere feather had been placed into her lap, then a seventy-one pound boy. In order to take him into her arms, she had sat down the cage containing his Heart-Soul, but kept it close to her side, letting the cage sit on the skirt of her silken dress. He was still uncomfortable to be around it, still resenting what it had done to Cosmo and Poof, but knowing it was just a baby, he couldn't be too angry, though he was still not sure if he was ready to be face to face with his soul yet.
However…he couldn't focus on his soul, not with Queen Mab so close, with her eyes fixed on his, he couldn't bring himself to look away from her. Her eyes were like the dusk sky and they made him feel as if he were gently falling.
She gingerly tapped his front teeth and laughed lightly. "I do like children with unique qualities; aw, you're like a sweet little Chinchilla…"
Well, at least being called a Chinchilla was (probably) a step up from being called an antechinus…at least he knew what it was.
"How are you liking Fey world? Please tell me of your experiences within my land." She asked him, her fingers gently combing through his hair. The motion made him feel strangely at ease, and he felt both his body and his nerves relaxing and found that he was speaking before he could even think of what to say, as if his thoughts were spilling unbidden from his lips.
He spoke of how it looked like a child's picture book, how fun the room he was given to recover in was. How nice it was to have so much quality time with his godmother and to get away from the bullies at school and from the abuse at home. He could tell that he was saying way too much, and he was sure that if he could look away from the Queen and meet Wanda's eyes, that his godmother would be desperately singling him to shut up. He couldn't, though. His control over his words had been lost. Even as he tried to close his mouth so no more words could escape from his lips, he could only continue to speak; The treatment was painful; he felt bad about hurting his godmother's wing, the companions Nova gave him to cuddle were so cute, the food was delicious, Gunter had scared him and said mean things that hurt, it was both fun and embarrassing to be turned into a toddler, the baby game was something Wanda always did to help him calm down, it was nice and relaxing—how the Kinders had been showing him a cute baby deer when she arrived…every single experience he had, and every thought just kept coming out of him and Queen Mab listened with a satisfied smile, coaxing him to continue. When the words finally stopped, she soothingly rubbed his back in the area corresponding to the location where his heart would be on in the front.
"I'll see that I reprimand Gunter. He can be such a brute." She pursed her lips in displeasure for a moment, but then smiled. "But I am glad the rest of your experiences here have been good; aside from the treatments. Would want to stay here?"
Every inch of his being struggled not to answer this question, but he hadn't the power to resist the magic that compelled him to speak. "I wouldn't want to leave my Godmother…."
That was the best he could hold back, but did it even count? Truth was, he'd rather be anywhere than back home on Earth with the bullies at school, his parents emotional abuse and neglect, Vicky's physical abuse….but, it was also the truth that he'd be willing to endure all of that, if he did not have to be parted from his fairy family…especially Wanda.
"Oh my, such affection he has for you." Queen Mab flashed a smile toward Wanda. He wanted to turn his head to look, to see if his godmother was angry at his dangerous honesty, but he could not. It felt as if his body was bound by invisible strings tied so softly that he couldn't even feel them. "I heard the stories about this child, freezing time and enduring abuse and neglect for fifty years just to stay by your side. To earn such devoted affection from a child that's not even your own, you must be a truly outstanding godmother."
"Timmy might as well be my own. I'm far more a mother than , or anyone else, will ever will be." There was a slight territorial quality to Wanda's tone. As worried as he was about her speaking that way to the Queen, he was also touched to hear it.
"You are an amusing woman!" Mab laughed. "So protective, so very motherly and yet you're not jumping at this wonderful opportunity to bring him to a place where he'd be safe and sound from all of earth's pains. Ah, but I do suppose you fairies do have your minds all terribly muddled with ideas of right and wrong, of morality and the natural order of things."
"I just want what's best for Timmy." There was something in Wanda's voice, an emotion he couldn't place, and it was enough to break through Queen Mab's spellbinding beauty and have him withdraw his eyes from her. The expression that was on his godmother's face was, like her voice, one he could not identify, but it made him feel safe and cherished. It made him feel as if even someone like him had worth.
"Oh, my poor dear; you don't even know what that is, I'm afraid." Queen Mab sounded sincerely apologetic. "But I'll give you time to reason it out and think it over. There really is no point in pushing the matter now, anyway." Queen Mab gently pulled his chin to make him turn his gaze back onto her and tilted his head back slightly. "Before we make any big decisions, he must finish his treatment and become a darling, precious angel."
Before he could react, Queen Mab drew in closer, placing her lips over his. Surprise was the first emotion he felt, followed by the sensation of how soft and warm her lips were—but then, his mind remembered the repercussions of imbibing any part of a Fey's body, and that, of course, would include the salvia from a kiss. He tried to pull back, but despite how gently she had her hands placed on his back, and on his chin, he found he was unable to break free of the soft hold, as if a force he could not feel was being applied.
Something thick and syrupy was being pushed through his lips and into his mouth. It was as if her salvia was actually some kind of flower nectar.
He tried to resist swallowing it, but it was threatening to slide down his throat on its own accord. To make things extra difficult, his ability to breathe through his nose had been taken away. He struggled, making a muffled protest, but in response, Queen Mab merely stroked the back of his head in reassurance.
His lungs burned with the desire to breathe, and his mind began to get fuzzy. In the background he could hear Wanda protesting, and got the sense she was struggling to reach him. He tried to hold out until she made it to his side, but he couldn't. The need to breathe became critical. He couldn't go without air any longer, and so he swallowed. He tasted a sweet nectar flowing down his throat, sweeter than honey or even maple syrup. The Fey Queen released his lips with a girlish giggle, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
He had time to take in maybe two or three gulps of air before it happened; a churning in his head, and a sudden fever…the sense that a fog was enveloping his brain….
~ Wanda POV~
"Timmy!" She cried out in desperation and despair as Queen Mab released him from the kiss. Her poor boy, she had seen how hard he had tried to resist, but ultimately had been left with no alternative but to swallow.
The entire time she had fought desperately to reach his side and pull him away from Queen Mab's clutches, but she had been rendered unable to move even so much as an eyelid. She did not know if it was the Fey Queen or the Fey present whose magic had held her down, but she considered all of them equally culpable, especially Nova, who had been speaking in her mind the entire time; telling her to relax, chiding her for being rude, and trying to calm her down.
Now free to move, she rushed over to Timmy, but found herself unable to penetrate the area of darkness that surrounded Mab.
"Wanda dear, you're making a scene." Nova scolded her as though she were being a fussy child.
"It's quite alright; it is just the way fairies are; she'll come around eventually." Queen Mab flashed her a sickeningly sweet smile and then with a tilt of her head, turned her gaze to someone to the right of her. "Even some Fey dislike me giving their Kinders my kiss. Is that not right, Bliss?"
"All mothers want their child to love them best." Bliss kept her voice steady as she wrapped her arms around Rachel. There was an innate boldness to her expression that the other Fey lacked, a certain willingness to defy their Queen or at least not bow down to her every whim. Bliss had warned her of Queen Mab's displeasure at not having the same affection she gave out returned in full, but hadn't made it clear enough that she'd resort to this. Maybe she ought to have realized on her own that she'd literally force her affections down Timmy's throat!
Queen Mab laughed, clapping her hands together playfully. "I do love the Mama Bear type! Wanda, I'm sure once you become a Fey, you and I will be great friends. Once you do, you, Bliss and I really ought to have a little get together. I'm thinking some Darjeeling tea and cucumber sandwiches?"
She had so much she'd want to say to that, but not while Timmy was in that woman's arms, nor his soul at her feet. Queen Mab did not seem miffed in the slightest when neither she nor Bliss responded to her invitation; in truth, it seemed she hadn't expected them to reply and instead began to play with Timmy's hair, peering into his dazed face as if it were simply the most adorable thing she had ever seen.
"Your such a sweet boy; I hope you will enjoy the blessings I bestowed upon you as part of my kiss. Now back to your godmother's arms…I fear she might start to cry if I hold on to you any longer." She released Timmy, who looked dazed and unsteady—almost as if he had become drunk. With a gentle push of her hand, Timmy stumbled out of the darkness and into her arms.
She caught him, tumbling into the grass under his weight. She picked herself up the best she could with Timmy sprawled across her legs. He was staring up at the sky, looking as if all his senses had taken leave of him.
"Sweetie! Talk to me! Sweetie!" She patted his cheeks in a panic. His skin felt so hot to the touch, and while it was a nice change from the unnatural coldness that had characterized his skin since the accident, this much heat could only mean that he had developed a terrible fever.
"You are being much too dramatic, dearie." The fey named Dewdrop tsked.
"You ought to be proud; children rarely receive a blessing from Queen Mab until they become Kinders." Mist told her in a tone that implied that he thought she was being unappreciative.
"It's understandable why she's so worried." Melika had the nerve to pat her on the back as if trying to be reassuring. "I'm sure fairies are led to believe that a single kiss from one of us will cause their godchild to pine away for us until they either die from loneliness or devote themselves to being always by our side."
"Well, we can do it that way." Alderwind laughed as he and his wife gave Lilybeth a pinch on her doll-like cheeks.
"But we can make them feel other ways too; we don't need to make it such an all-consuming affection." Thistledust patted Walter's head. "I prefer a strong friendship, with enough room for a little disobedience. It's more fun when the kid does unexpected things."
"He's not the first human to receive her kiss; that way, if he does not become a Kinder, she at least gains a human worshiper on Earth." Ariafern, the child who along with Bliss had given her advice and warnings about Queen Mab, informed her gently. "There are not too many humans who worship fairies anymore…but the ones who do will make offerings to the Fey."
"You might not think it with the delicacies we can conjure, but to a Fey's palate—food not made with magic has a much more captivating flavor." Bliss explained, stroking Rachel's hair tenderly. "Even material items made by human hands are more pleasing to us. I can produce any number of gemstones or gold jewels, but I feel much more pleasure wearing a necklace of macaroni made by Chelly's hands…."
Ariafern and Bliss were trying to calm her down by indirectly telling her that the affection forced onto him by Mab would not be the all-consuming variety that would render him unable to live without the Queen's presence. While it was reassuring to know that Timmy would not pine away until he died to be by Queen Mab's side, she was still upset. Without consent or even warning, Queen Mab had basically enticed Timmy into worshipping her in order to receive offerings! How selfish was this all powerful Queen?
"I particularly like milk and honey; my preference is for whole milk, and my favorite honey is wildflower." Queen Mab added in sing-song, not looking up from the Heart-Soul who now had her full attention. She was fearful of what she might do to it, but not only was her hands full with Timmy, who was still too dazed to get up, but she was sure she'd be unable to penetrate the area of darkness just as she could not earlier to do anything to stop the Queen from doing whatever she pleased.
She ground her teeth and might have blown caution to the wind and spoken her mind if Timmy did not begin to stir in her arms.
"…Mmmm….?" He peered up at her, wincing. "My head feels….funny…"
"Timmy! Are you ok!?" She helped him sit up, feeling frantic.
"Hmm…kinda dizzy….let me…just close my eyes a moment….thanks….mom…" Timmy nodded drowsily, relaxing against her as he breathed out a sigh of contentment while nuzzling sleepily against her shoulder. Whatever it was Mab had done, at least it seemingly hadn't stolen away any of the love Timmy had for her.
Wait; that shouldn't be what she was worried about—! She wasn't so upset about what had happened because of petty jealousy! She was worried sincerely about his wellbeing.
"Allow me, my dear, to elucidate upon the nature of the blessing bestowed upon our sweet Timmy by our esteemed Queen, for it may alleviate your distress." Nova gave her a kind smile that she resented being on the receiving end of, given how he had not only refused to help her earlier, but had lectured her on her behaviour.
She looked away from him pointedly with a huff, and he sighed like a parent dealing with a troublesome child.
"It is quite a lovely gesture she has done; and it is for your benifet as well as his." Nova insisted on explaining, anyway. "With her kiss, she has blessed his dreams you see, so he will always dream of his favorite memories with his beloved fairy family…a blessing that will continue even if his memories were to be wiped by Jorgen one day…he may wake up thinking it was all just an imaginative dream, but at least during the period he's asleep he will be able to remember your bond together…"
She clenched her teeth, reluctant and not wanting to admit that she truly did like the sound of that…but the price for this blessing, that Timmy hadn't even asked for, was that he'd be enticed to become Mab's worshiper.
"….Ah…that's so nice…." Timmy whispered happily, half asleep in her arms.
Nova laughed, satisfied with Timmy's acceptance of the blessing, even though the poor boy wasn't even aware yet of the price being asked for in exchange for it. "And until then, I'll get to enjoy the dreams of those lovely memories. I do hope I'll see some of my son's finer moments this time around…."
Perhaps Queen Mab, knowing about the price Timmy had paid for his treatment; giving his dreams to Nova until the day he lost his fairies, had chosen this particular blessing more for the sake of Nova than she had for Timmy and her.
…..Had this been planned between Nova and Mab from the start? Had she foolishly been led right into a trap and now Timmy would have his life affected by it forever?
What did becoming a worshipper of Mab entail? Was it simply making discreet little offerings which those around him would take no notice of, or would he become some kind fanatic, becoming viewed as some kind of weirdo or crazy person by his community? How could she have allowed this to happen? She had said she'd keep him safe and had failed. She had been right there, watching, but could not do a thing to help even as she saw him struggling! Frustrated tears welled up in her eyes even as she tried to resist them.
"Now, now, my dear, none of that is necessary. Come, just hear me out."
She tried to brush off Nova's hand as he touched her arm, but within an instant, she felt herself being transported somewhere else and clung to Timmy tighter, refusing to be separated from him.
The next second she found herself underground; inside a cave, but not the cave she had been in a little while earlier. She was in a wide open space, that had comfortable looking chairs, and even a fireplace—which was necessary as the room was chilly enough that she could see her breath hang in the air.
Taking up one full wall of the stone cave, however, was a glass of such a clear quality that you couldn't even tell it was there. Beyond the glass was the bottom of the ocean, giving a view of exotic sea-life—creatures of such mesmerizing natures that under different circumstances she'd love the idea of sitting down in one of the available chairs and taking a few hours just to view them.
However, the only thing she could think about now was how Timmy's Heart-Soul had been left alone unsupervised with a bunch of Fey and their Queen! Fortunately, at least Timmy was here with her, but what were they doing to his poor, vulnerable soul right now? She had to get back to it, but even as she thought this, she knew she did not know where she was or how to leave.
Timmy's legs buckled a little as he toppled against her and she quickly steered him towards a chair before he brought them both tumbling to the floor.
"Sweetie, here sit down. Do you feel sick?" She asked, gently. He shook his head, saying he was just suddenly felt exhausted. As he sank into the cushions, Nova snapped his fingers and poofed a thick woolen blanket around him.
"Why is it so cold in here?" She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering; and used her wand to change Timmy's clothes into something warmer and then did the same to her own.
"We maintain a lower temperature in this room to align with the ambiance, which also provides a cozy environment for snuggling under blankets and enjoying a warm beverage." Nova explained, inviting her to sit down and poof herself and Timmy up a hot drink of her choice, but she had no desire to listen to such suggestions from him right now. He sighed once more, seeing that she was not keen to take him up on his suggestion, and turned serious.
"Wanda, dear, I know you are not happy with the outcome, but I do assure you that I was unaware she was going to bless him. I know you might not believe that, but it is the truth."
"And would you have done anything differently if you had known?" She challenged. Until now, Nova probably had believed her to be the weak and weepy type, but now he was going to see that she had a backbone to her. She would not let something like this slide easily.
"You are overreacting." He tsked, and with a snap of his fingers, she found herself sitting down in a chair, quite some distance away from Timmy, and found herself unable to get out of it.
"Nova!" She protested, struggling to rise from the seat to go back to Timmy's side. Her father-in-law merely responded by poofing a warm blanket over her, and making a cup of tea appear in her hands.
"Allow me to present a video that I am confident will alleviate any concerns you may have."
She nearly groaned as a projector screen appeared out of nowhere. Nova muttered something about critics as he annoyingly took a chair next to Timmy, attempting to rouse him from the stupor Queen Mab's kiss had left him in. The chair she had been made to sit in was placed too far away for her to reach Timmy, even if she extended her arm as far as possible. He wasn't quite on the other side of the room, but was still far out of her reach. Nova met her gaze with an apologetic expression.
"I understand your concern for him, and I regret the necessity of my directness, but if you were in his proximity, you would not be able to give the necessary attention to the highly important information I am about to disclose. Once the video concludes, I will permit you to sit beside your cherished son."
"What right do you think you have to—!"
"Wanda, please." Nova heaved a sigh and drummed the fingers of his injured hand on a nearby table. "While I understand that our relationship is still in its nascent phase, I would have expected some level of trust to have been established by now. It is my sincere belief that we were indeed building a rapport, were we not?"
"Yes, we were, but look what happened! You knew I wasn't ok with her doing something like that, and you wouldn't help me stop it!"
"My poor beloved daughter-in-law, I assure you that I will not harbor any negative emotions towards you due to this matter." Nova cast her a gentle smile. "I comprehend that it is only natural for you to react to what happened with irrationality, given the one-sided information that has been imparted to you about us Fey, but please allow me to set the record straight and you'll come to realize that what was done to Timmy just now, was something you should rejoice, not lament."
"….Turn his chair so I can see his face."
"Of course,." Nova turned Timmy's chair around so that he no longer faced the glass wall that overlooked the fish, but faced her instead. His eyes blinked sleepily, and his face was flushed; he was still clearly in a stupor but at least he was conscious.
"Timmy, sweetie, are you ok?" She asked, fretting. He mustered a smile in her direction and nodded, rubbing his left temple with a furrowed brow.
"Don't worry, mom…I'm ok…." He yawned, closing his eyes. "Just…a little groggy. My head feels kinda weird, though….but other than that, I'm fine."
As she watched Timmy, she noticed that his breathing, unlike her own and Nova's, produced no vapor. It was a heartbreaking reminder that he was more dead than he was alive and would remain that way until she completed the treatment.
Timmy shivered and cracked open his eyes. "Actually…I'm a little cold….."
She wanted to go over to him and warm him up with a tight hug, keeping him safe in her arms from any further machinations, but Nova's magic was too powerful to resist and he had glued her to her chair, rendering her unable to go over to Timmy's side.
"Dear boy, you just relax." Nova conjured him another blanket and, with a snap of his fingers, lit the fireplace; casting a comforting orange glow over the dark room. "The essence of Queen Mab is currently permeating your being. While the experience may be taxing on the human body, it will soon be over. Your brief discomfort will be richly rewarded with the magnificent blessings of our Queen."
"Blessings he hadn't asked for!" She glared at Nova for a moment and then met Timmy's unfocused eyes apologetically. "I'm sorry, sweetie, that I wasn't able to stop this from happening…."
"It wasn't your fault." Timmy smiled reassuringly and shivered again as he nestled into the blankets wrapped around him. The room was on the chilly side, but he really shouldn't be that cold, unless—he was having fever chills.
"Wanda dear, I know you don't trust me right now, so if you would be so kind as to poof him up a hot drink?" Nova asked, even as he conjured up yet another blanket for him.
"So that you can add something to it, whilst I am unable to even get up from this chair?" She accused. Nova rubbed his temples, taking in a deep breath.
"I understand that you are feeling upset." Nova spoke slowly, as if trying to keep his own frustration in check. "I am hopeful that your anxiety will diminish once Timmy regains clarity and you realize that Mab's kiss has not altered his fundamental traits. Please kindly watch the video and educate yourself before making any further ruckus."
She opened her mouth to offer a retort, but the video started playing now, and at such a loud volume that even if she screeched, her voice would be drowned out. It was made worse by how the sound echoed off of the cave walls making an annoying echo which gave the illusion that a second video was playing somewhere nearby, just a few seconds off. She could already feel a headache starting and wondered if this was her father-in-law's idea of a punishment.
Almost smugly, Nova poofed the same earmuffs he had used to block toddler Timmy's hearing earlier, onto his own ears and placed a pair over Timmy's whilst offering the boy a pillow for his head as he turned Timmy's chair back around to view the fish. She resentfully glared at him as he stroked her godson's hair, as if he were petting a puppy.
"Eyes on the screen, my dear, or else I'll have to restart it." He chided, and she grumbled as she resentfully did as she was told to. A part of her was tempted to throw the teacup he had placed in her hands, but refrained from doing so, but pointedly sat it down on the table, refusing to drink any of it.
"So your godchild has received Queen Mab's blessing! How wonderful for both them and you! It truly is a gift to be thankful for! We understand that as a fairy, you may feel conflicted emotions, but this video is here to help put you at ease, and inform you of all you need to know. It is in our hope that by the time this video concludes you will be as ecstatic about your godchild's blessing as we are!" The same annoying car salesman voice Nova had used in his previous videos began once more; the screen showing an artistic and idealised image of the Fey Queen.
The image changed to a series of different children receiving a kiss, the last one of which was Timmy—seeing it once was bad enough, but seeing it as part of Nova's movie was somehow worse than seeing it happen live. Just how quickly could he make these things, anyway?
"Our fair Queen Mab will always give her kiss and a blessing of protection for a Kinder within her circle. It is her way of adding any extra layer of safety to our precious little ones. However, when it comes to children who have not yet partaken of our special fruit, she will only bestow a kiss on those who capture her interest or have curried her favor. If you are watching this, then congratulations! Your godchild must truly be a special one to have earned the affection of our beloved Queen."
She wondered what about Timmy had grabbed Queen Mab's attention so much, but if she had to take a guess, it must have been because of his rare newborn Heart-Soul.
"Blessings given to humans vary; as she likes to give them what they need most. For little Betty Mulligan, she blessed her with the knowledge of medicine, allowing her to create many herbal remedies that saved the lives of many in her village—for little Robert Roy, she blessed him with the ability to play the most beautiful music."
Two children's image showed on screen, receiving the kiss, and then images of them as adults in the human world, living successful lives thanks to their blessings. "For little Timmy Turner, who loves and adores his fairy family so much, she has protected his memories of them—giving them absolute safety within the realm of dreams. The memories will remain preserved and protected for all time, defying any magic that tries to erase them."
Nova paused the video and spoke almost as loudly as the video, perhaps because of the earmuffs he was wearing. "Consider, my dear, how the anguish of your beloved godson completely forgetting your existence will be mitigated by the awareness that he will dream of and recall you every time he sleeps, at least for the duration of his slumber. Furthermore, if he were to become a Kinder, it would provide an opportunity to revisit cherished memories from the past and forge new ones throughout the day. It is a wondrous blessing! Experiencing the love of his godmother during both his waking and sleeping moments!"
She said nothing; not only because she refused to tell him that the idea of Timmy being able to dream of his time with Cosmo, Poof and her was, even after he grew up, was in truth, comforting….but also because she did not think he'd hear her while wearing those earmuffs.
The video restarted. "And little Timmy received a secondary blessing, because, naturally, we need to hide the real one from Jorgen and that annoying fairy council, don't we? For his secondary blessing, his already immense creativity has been increased. We have heard that the boy isn't the most left-brained, so we have made it a near guarantee that he'll be able to thrive in the human world through creative-means. With the skill set provided him by our Queen, he'll be able to develop the talents required to be an artist, a writer, an actor, …as a Kinder with such creative ability, such talents would make him a real treasure, so we do hope you won't let this cute little angel become an unsightly adult. It would be such a waste."
She rolled her eyes as the video tried its best to convince her to allow them to make Timmy into a Kinder. Why even seek her permission? They'd just force it if she said no—but she would not be so careless in the future as to give them a chance to pull another trick.
She glanced over at Timmy worriedly; Nova seemed to be pointing out some of the fish to him. It looked like he was talking about each species in detail, though with how loud the video was, it was not like she could hear what they were saying. Actually, since they were both wearing earmuffs, there was a good chance that Nova was speaking to him telepathically.
Resentfully, she forced her eyes back on the screen as the video rewound, replaying every moment she had looked away. Fighting off the urge to sleep, her drooping eyelids struggled to stay open. The video delved into unnecessary details, like the history of blessings and Mab's love for children, making it difficult for her to focus on the important parts. It felt like a glimpse into Timmy's experience with ADHD, where no matter how hard she tried to maintain focus, she couldn't help but get distracted. To make matters worse, each time she nodded off or glanced away, the video would rewind itself. Finally, when the video reached its conclusion, only three additional pieces of information, aside from Timmy's blessings, were deemed important enough by her brain to be stored in her memory.
Point one; Queen Mab could turn her salvia into either mead or nectar; and this was what she gave to children through her kiss. Kinders got the much stronger mead, whilst humans were given the weaker nectar. Once consumed, it would instantly start "infusing" the child with her essence, in much the same way a bag of tea dropped in a pot of water would change its color. Because of its potency, it would not need to be re-administered. The stupor was supposed to clear up in an hour or so, and developing a fever that would last for three days was a normal reaction.
Point two; there were two types of blessings; contracted and 'gifts'. Contracted blessings could continue to increase in power, however, the human would need to continue giving satisfactory offerings for the rest of their lives. Failure to do so would have the blessings turn into curses instead. Gifts did not come with the penalty of a curse if offerings were neglected, but the gifts would become weaker. In both cases speaking the name of the Fey who gave the blessing to another human would have the human dragged into Fey world and punished severely for the transgression.
In point three, it was emphasized that offerings should be made respectfully. The video suggested creating a small miniature house in a garden or finding a tree with a hollow to place the offerings. Various suggestions for offerings were mentioned, all of which seemed relatively easy to obtain. However, it was noted that simply wishing for the offerings was not acceptable. Furthermore, a warning was given that the intention behind making the offerings held greater significance than the actual items being given. It was made clear that offensive gestures or selfishness would result in different degrees of misfortune.
The situation appeared to be quite troublesome and demanding, which only exacerbated her frustration. She couldn't help but emphasize the fact that Timmy hadn't been given a choice in the matter. Now, he would be bound for the entirety of his life to make offerings to Queen Mab, even when he grew up and no longer remembered anything about fairies. And if he were to cease these offerings... well, it simply wasn't fair!
"Ah, there we go," Nova exclaimed, relieved. "I do hope we have your understanding of our intentions now?" He turned around, removing his earmuffs and Timmy's, while at the same time making the screen to disappear. His expression conveyed confidence that all of her misgivings should have dissipated after having watched his movie.
"Give me Timmy," she demanded, her tone firm. Nova, looking taken aback by her assertiveness, quickly snapped his fingers, granting her wish. In an instant, she appeared in a chair right beside Timmy. It would seem that sometime during the duration of the movie, his stupor had subsided, and he turned his head, visibly relieved to see her by his side.
With a crooked smile, he leaned his feverish head on her shoulder, still affected by the lingering effects of that awful nectar infused with that selfish woman's 'essence'.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine…." He reassured, whilst gingerly moving his legs. "Ah, I can feel them again…."
"I'm sorry to make them numb, but you kept trying to get up and go to your dear godmother. She really needed to watch without distractions." Nova apologized and pulled up a chair to sit in front of them, looking almost pouty. It was as if he were disappointed. What, did he really expect her to be in a chipper mood, full of understanding and acceptance after watching that irritating video?
"I gather by your demeanor that the video did not effectively resolve your apprehensions. If you would be so kind as to elucidate what is causing your distress, it is possible that we can resolve our divergent viewpoints. I wholeheartedly wish for us to foster a healthy and thriving relationship."
"You had no right to just do something so life altering to Timmy without even asking!" She couldn't understand why such an obvious breech of trust was so hard for him to understand as being 'wrong'.
"The act of asking would constitute a contract, which, unlike gifts, entails repercussions if regular offerings are not made," Nova explained in a tone that suggested she ought to have realized this from the video. "We were concerned about the potential interference with his daily life and the possibility of drawing attention from others, as we acknowledge the risk of him being labeled as eccentric in today's society if he were observed making Fey offerings. Furthermore, taking into account his tender age, it is understandable that procuring items of considerable worth for an offering would prove arduous, and we desired to spare him any unnecessary distress."
"So in other words you did not ask me so that it would become a gift instead of a contract so I wouldn't get punished for not making enough offerings—this way, I can just make them when it's convenient and won't attract attention." Timmy replied, too relaxed about the situation, and Nova smiled and eagerly nodded his head.
"Yes, indeed, my dear boy! Boy! That's exactly right. Queen Mab deliberately abstained from soliciting your consent as to make it a gift rather than a contract. This way, you won't end up cursed if you don't make regular offerings."
"But couldn't you have asked us? After all, it should only become a contract if the one giving it asks, right?" She questioned, not about to let it slide so easily.
"Wanda, dear." Nova put his two hands together pleadingly. "I truly and sincerely did not know she was going to bless him. I swear on my entire family. There is no way I would have kept such information from you, I swear to it."
"I think he's telling the truth Wanda." Timmy looked to her anxiously—he hated seeing family fight, and she did not want to distress him, but this was too big to just let it slide.
"Even so…you wouldn't help me." She accused,her voice coming out weaker than she had intended. It made her sound pathetic, as if she was a kid, complaining. Nova smiled, much like how one would smile at a sulking child.
"Wanda, dear, dear Wanda. I am so sorry about that, truly I am, but you are overestimating my capabilities by far. In what way can I resist someone as powerful as Queen Mab? Were I to have joined you in your endeavor to dissuade her, the best-case scenario would have been to be ignored, akin to your experience. In the worst-case scenario, we would have incited her anger. Queen Mab possesses an amiable disposition, yet I must be candid in admitting that she is prone to explosive outbursts. I apologize if it seemed like I acted in opposition to you, but my intention was to protect you from potentially causing offense to her—there was a significant possibility that she might have made a regrettable mistake. When our dear Queen Mab becomes enraged, she acts rather…impulsively."
"It still….wasn't nice!" She hated her lack of articulation right now. There was so much more she felt about the situation, but she did not know how to put it into words.
"I did not get the sense that she was trying to do me harm…I guess Queens wouldn't really be used to asking permission for things. It's all really ok, she wanted to do something nice for me and there's really no serious repercussions, so, it's fine." Timmy oversimplified the matter. She loved him, she did, but he was really too easy going about some things. Ever since the bullying at middle school started, he tried to avoid conflict; yielding far too easily to the wants or opinions of others all in order to avoid upsetting anyone.
She hoped Timmy would get the fight he had as a ten year old back soon. She hated how he was becoming such a doormat. Cosmo and her disagreed on a lot of things about him lately, but this was one point they always agreed on.
Heck, even Nova was looking a little perplexed at how easily he was willing to let the entire situation slide. He reached out after a moment and patted his head.
"You don't need to do that, dear boy. I am here to listen to any worries or dissatisfaction so that we can all come to a mutual understanding."
"D-do what?" Timmy did not look like he understood; this had become that much of a natural response to him as of late.
"Unfortunately, my goddaughter Julia tended to prioritize telling others what they wanted to hear instead of expressing herself honestly, for fear of causing any offense. You can rest assured that there is no need for you to worry about provoking my anger. I have already welcomed you as part of my family and am committed to forever extending forgiveness to family members, so rest assured that you can freely express your thoughts to me."
"W-well…" Timmy put his head down, meekly….she really wished he'd go back to being the strong willed, brave little boy he used to be before the world collectively decided to crush his spirit. "….I guess I would have liked to know that there was a possibility that she might do that…..a little heads up, you know, so that I wouldn't be caught off guard. I get it was a gift and a surprise but….not knowing what was happening was….a little scary."
"Ah." Nova nodded, looking like he was honestly considering what Timmy had said earnestly. "So, the issue stems from a lack of understanding about our customs and traditions, which made you feel vulnerable and fearful, despite the well-intentioned nature of the action. I imagine it was much the same for you Wanda? Well, I do believe that is quite reasonable, particularly considering the information you undoubtedly received about us Fey from Jorgen."
"I thought Timmy was going to become some kind of—of obsessive, fanatical lunatic or something!" She retorted angrily. "You don't keep people in the dark about such practices and you really should have found some way to ask our consent, even if you couldn't do it directly without making it a contract, you should have done it indirectly or—or—refrained from doing it at all!"
"Yes, yes, I see….the underlying problem that has upset you is that you were made afraid and during a time when you already felt stressed and vulnerable." Nova chewed on his bottom lip in displeasure. "…Bliss ought to have informed you about the possibility that she may bless Timmy and what it entailed. That way, neither of you would have been caught off guard and made afraid."
That wasn't quite it; but she got the feeling that trying to explain it would end up having them caught in a very long and very unpleasant back and forth. It would seem that as a Fey Nova just did not seem to have a fairy's sense of morality. No matter the good intentions behind 'the gift', it still came with a consequence of having forcefully changed something within Timmy, which would have the effect of altering his feelings and the way he would behave.
If Timmy had become Queen Mab's worshiper on his own, that was one thing, but that he'd be compelled to because she had forced her 'essence' inside of him made it deplorable.
"I am pleased that we have engaged in this conversation and resolved our issues. It is beneficial for families to engage in open discussions regarding their issues in order to prevent misunderstandings from escalating into long-lasting resentments." Nova seemed satisfied, somehow getting the impression that all was fine. She clenched her teeth along with her fists.
"Hold on a moment! We're not done, yet! There were outright threats on that video!"
"Threats?" Nova tilted his head to the side, perplexed and then after considering it for a moment. "Oh, you mean that part about telling the name of the Fey who gave the blessing will have him dragged into Fey World and punished? I am afraid that part is a little outdated. I am admittedly a little frazzled right now, and forgot to change that part. We can't bring someone to Fey world without a trinket belonging to them because of that nasty barrier. Fear not, these days, telling the name just removes the gift."
"And what about the part where being disrespectful with the offerings will bring him misfortune?"
"By disrespectful offerings we mean—giving soured milk, rotten food, junk, stolen items, or just giving it with a very lousy attitude like 'ugh, this is sooo stupid' or giving it really selfishly like 'This thing I'm giving is really nice, I better get something good out of this!'." Nova gave Timmy an endeared smile and reached over to tousle his bangs. "I doubt our little future angle would be so ill-mannered."
"W-well…" Timmy awkwardly pulled on his shirt collar and Nova winked at him.
"Your ten-year-old self's stories are renowned among us thanks to Stella's letters. However, the offensive demeanor I am discussing goes far beyond the scope of a self-centered child. However, I have heard that you have been abstaining from such vices recently. I commend you for your developing maturity, but do not completely relinquish that mischievous enthusiasm that makes you so enjoyable to hear about."
"He has made great improvements," she confirmed, patting Timmy's arm. It wasn't uncommon for ten-year-olds to exhibit some degree of irresponsibility and selfishness. True, Timmy may have been slightly worse than others with these particular vices, but one couldn't entirely blame him. After all, he didn't have the best role models to learn from. Children often imitated the behavior they saw in adults, and unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Turner exemplified selfishness and irresponsibility.
Timmy had, however, grown out of such behaviour (well, mostly) as of late and she liked to think that the advances he had made in those areas had been because of her influence.
"Well, now that these issues are out of the way—"
"Not so fast." She stopped her father-in-law from brushing the matter aside. "Never, ever, do something to Timmy without asking again or I won't forgive it!"
She wasn't going to forgive this time; but she couldn't forget her plan in a moment of anger. She had to string Nova along, long enough for Timmy to receive his treatment in full, not only to ensure that he got the best care possible but that Nova had enough belief that she'd be willing to join them, and bring Timmy along, so that he did not try to force the issue. That he wanted his family to get along, and that she had shown such anger about this transgression would hopefully have him think twice about any further deceptions—as long as he believed he had a chance of convincing her to willingly become part of Fey world.
"Stella was right about your bull-headedness, my dear." Nova laughed, drumming the finger of his injured hand against the table; much like he had done earlier. Part of her wondered if he was perhaps trying to draw her attention to his injury in order to remind her that he had gotten it for her sake. "I do promise you that I will take no actions without the full consent of the boy's beloved god parent."
"What's with the emphases on that I?" She asked, suspiciously.
"As I stated before, I had no idea that Queen Mab was going to bless him. I swear to defend Timmy against any unwarranted actions taken by others whom I have at least some chance to stand against—but to be fair, my dear—asking me to prevent Queen Mab from doing something would be akin to asking you to fight off the fairy council!"
"So you're saying it would be like Hawkeye Vs Thanos…" Timmy added and Nova quirked a brow.
"I'm guessing—-comic book heros? I'm not too well read on those I am afraid so I don't quite understand your comparison, if you can clarify it?"
"Thanos is super strong, resistant to injury, invulnerable to all poison, disease and telepathic attack!" Timmy explained, getting the excited tone he got whenever he spoke of something he liked.
"Ah, yes, and Hawkeye?"
"Can fly as fast as a hawk and shoot arrows."
Nova chuckled. "In that case, I must affirm that the comparison is indeed accurate. I was Hawkeye, hopeless against the might of Thanos. Therefore, I humbly ask for your forgiveness for not being able to perform the impossible. However, I promise to take responsibility for providing explanations myself from now on. Bliss, although kind, appears to be slightly more absent-minded than I initially perceived. Really, she was supposed to explain of all what may happen when encountering Queen Mab…it's only natural you were both fearful when caught so off-guard when something so unexpected occurred."
Nova seemed intent on passing the fault onto someone else; she was really seeing a resemblance to Schnozmo in him now. True, Bliss hadn't told her that the Queen could attempt to bless Timmy, but she had done better—she had shown her that not even all Fey condoned how Queen Mab forced her affections onto others. Even the Fey child Ariafern seem to hold misgivings; she'd keep those two in mind as potential allies, though she'd need to be very careful of just how much trust she could put into them. At the very least, they did not seem intent to sing Mab's praises the way Nova did.
"Can we confirm that we have reached a shared understanding? It is imperative that I reconcile this divide before it worsens. I have a strong aversion to quarreling with my family. I simply won't be able to be at east until the matter is resolved." Nova stared at her hopefully. She was not happy with him at all, but she couldn't risk dashing his hopes. Not this early on, not when Timmy's treatments were a long way from being over.
"Ok, just promise nothing like this will happen again."
"As long as it is in my power, I promise!" Nova put a hand solemnly over his chest as if making a pledge. "And you, dear boy, are you upset with your Grandpa Nova?"
Timmy shook his head, reassuring that everything was cool between them; unlike her, he was probably being sincere about it.
This incident was certainly not something she was going to forget or forgive anytime soon.